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Ask Slashdot: Best Book For 11-Year-Old Who Wants To Teach Himself To Program?

Posted by timothy on from the it-isn't-huckleberry-finn dept.

New submitter waferthinmint asks "What is the best book for my son to use to teach himself to program? He wants to study on his own but everything seems to assume an instructor or a working theoretical knowledge. He's a bright kid but the right guide can make all the difference. Also, what language should he start with? When I was in HS, it was Basic or Pascal. Now, I guess, C? He has access to an Ubuntu box and an older MacBook Pro. Help me Slashdot; you're our only hope."

6 of 525 comments (clear)

  1. Python by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Have him learn python. On any OS.

    1. Re:Python by chaosite · · Score: 5, Informative

      I second the python recommendation. Have a look at this (free, available in dead tree format as well as online) book:

      http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/

    2. Re:Python by Githaron · · Score: 4, Informative

      Have him learn python. On any OS.

      If you are going to teach him Python, have him take CS101 at Udacity. It is more fun than reading a book.

    3. Re:Python by durrr · · Score: 4, Informative

      Have him learn Ruby. On any OS.
      With this book: http://www.ruby-doc.org/docs/ProgrammingRuby/

    4. Re:Python by g0bshiTe · · Score: 4, Informative

      I'll 3rd that.

      Have a look here. http://www.pythonchallenge.com/ I know it's been around forever and a day, but some challenges like this will show him there are practical applications to what he is learning.

      --
      I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
    5. Re:Python by jcreus · · Score: 5, Informative

      Hi. Teenager here. I learnt how to program when I was about 11 (or maybe 10), self-taught. My best recommendation: let him learn how to program by himself. What I did was, and I've done such a thing for all programming languages (8, I think) I know: first, go to the first tutorial you see on the Internet. I believe I used Wikibooks (Python). And, then, leave the tutorial after knowing just the basic I/O and simple statements. Then, give yourself a project. For example, I created one which solved me the maths homework. Something you find useful. And, while doing that, one must learn more features of the language. In case you have doubts, be self-sufficient: just f*cking google it, and results will appear (learning how to google is probably a priority before programming languages!).

      So, what you said is true. Don't spend money on programming books. Let him learn by himself.

      On the other hand, regarding programming languages, I've always loved Python. Simple syntax, easy to introduce to new programmers, no pointers, great power... Furthermore, while Python keeps being my favorite, maybe, for "the current times", he would find JavaScript (+HTML+CSS) closer, for he would be able to create his own websites and that's something you often feel proud of ;). Also, it seems now everything has to be JavaScript-based...